An Israeli strike targeted senior members of Hamas’s leadership on Tuesday in the Gulf nation of Qatar, which has been mediating to try to end the Gaza war.
The fate of the officials was not immediately known.
Qatar condemned the attack, which Majed al-Ansari, the spokesman for the Qatari foreign ministry, said in a statement targeted the “residential headquarters” where a number of senior Hamas politicians lived.
Qatar has played a major role as a mediator in talks between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza. The direct attack on Qatari soil risks antagonizing its government and unraveling those diplomatic efforts, particularly because Qatar’s political and economic stability hinges on its reputation as a haven for business and tourism in a volatile region.
Qatar agreed to host an office for Hamas at the request of the United States, Qatari officials have said in the past.
An unidentified senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera, the Qatari broadcaster, that the attack happened while a team was discussing President Trump’s proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza.
An Israeli official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said the Hamas leaders were gathering to discuss the U.S. proposal.
Qatar was thought to be neutral ground, in part, because of it maintains contacts with the Israeli government. Senior Israeli government officials have traveled many times to Doha to talk to Qatari leaders about securing the release of hostages in Gaza since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that ignited the war in the territory.